What I am lacking ?


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HoangHung

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Nov 27, 2008
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Clementi
www.flickr.com
It's been almost 1 year since the first time I used DSLR. However, after looking at my pictures, all of my friends told me that my picture is lacking of something. I don't really know what is that, color ? contrast ? creativity ? or it is just 'how to utilize my equipment' ? :dunno:

Those are all the best pictures of mine ( in Flickr ) : http://www.flickr.com/photos/16995874@N03/

I used Canon 400D, kit ( non IS ) and 75-300 III
 

I think you're still missing composition and an eye for detail.

For example, you have tilted horizons, cluttered backgrounds. You have some good shots, but others are more like... Eeeeh.
 

After viewing ur pics, feel that it a bit of everything


You need to find a theme for your shooting subject, after shooting for a year
Cannot be still random pictures, ask urself what ur photos want to present to the viewers ?
Very few photographers can be expert in all fields, choose whether u want to be a landscape, still life, sport, wildlife, portraiture or macro shooter.
Because the composition, skill & equipment required for each field is very different

Equipment limitation is another problem
Although the person behind the lens is equally important
Buy a macro lens if u want to shot macro wildlife & still life
Buy a prime lens w/ big aperture to throw out the background
I tell you if you buy these two kind of lens, I bet ur exploration of photography will reach another level.
But ur interest & budget must be there

Read more books from library to gain more knowledge
 

The dog shots are pretty good.
Thanks

After viewing ur pics, feel that it a bit of everything


You need to find a theme for your shooting subject, after shooting for a year
Cannot be still random pictures, ask urself what ur photos want to present to the viewers ?
Very few photographers can be expert in all fields, choose whether u want to be a landscape, still life, sport, wildlife, portraiture or macro shooter.
Because the composition, skill & equipment required for each field is very different

Equipment limitation is another problem
Although the person behind the lens is equally important
Buy a macro lens if u want to shot macro wildlife & still life
Buy a prime lens w/ big aperture to throw out the background
I tell you if you buy these two kind of lens, I bet ur exploration of photography will reach another level.
But ur interest & budget must be there

Read more books from library to gain more knowledge

Thank you. I think it's about time for me to read and study further. But what do you do when you see something interesting and want to photograph it ?

I think you're still missing composition and an eye for detail.

For example, you have tilted horizons, cluttered backgrounds. You have some good shots, but others are more like... Eeeeh.

Thank you. I understand the part of composition. How can I improve for the details part ?
 

Thank you. I think it's about time for me to read and study further. But what do you do when you see something interesting and want to photograph it ?
Think further about what makes this "something" interesting. Is a pattern, colour, expression, composition (e.g. old vs. new; tall vs. tiny etc). Then see how you isolate the object from the surrounding, leaving only as much context as necessary.
Change your angle. Animals and children pictures look better if you go down at their eye level. Came across this website with plenty of tips to start improving composition: http://digital-photography-school.com/
 

Thank you. I think it's about time for me to read and study further. But what do you do when you see something interesting and want to photograph it ?
?

If you want to have outstanding shoots, most of the time you must had planned & done ur preparation & therefore you know what kind of result you will get

If it like what you u describe, u suddenly see something interesting then you suddenly want to shoot, then a lot of time it will be something like a candid shoot or maybe you will get a lucky beautiful shoot, but how many will be keeper shoot ?

Browse the Street and Candids
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13
Notice even if its candid, most of them will have a theme & they will work towards it
Hope it helps !
 

It's been almost 1 year since the first time I used DSLR. However, after looking at my pictures, all of my friends told me that my picture is lacking of something. I don't really know what is that, color ? contrast ? creativity ? or it is just 'how to utilize my equipment' ? :dunno:

Those are all the best pictures of mine ( in Flickr ) : http://www.flickr.com/photos/16995874@N03/

I used Canon 400D, kit ( non IS ) and 75-300 III

Just took a quick look of ur pics. Some pics have descent canon color and I really them. However, IMO, they r just photos, which is a reflection of the real thing, but I can't tell what u want to tell from ur pics.

I saw a lot of great series in another forum, e.g, somene post their pics of the Spring, the color is so nice and I can't help thinking of go there, someone post the pics of children, and it was so lovely and someone post the pics of hot models, they r sexy and attractive, the photographers can tell us what he feel when he takes the pics. Your pics, I would say, r record of what u see.

So, IMO, u lack trying different things, and going around the city u live to look for something beautiful.

I used my dslr for about 10 months, SC >5K, I still can't find any good of my pics, I want to try different lenses, and learn how to control external flash...maybe after I took 10k pics, I will sell my lenses and keep one or two, and focus on looking for beauty :)
 

Some of your shots are pretty nice, so just shoot more and be more critical of your own photos.

Have a look at what the rest posted on their galleries/flickr/DA etc, get inspired and take your time to learn and improve. ^^

Hope that helps.
 

I think some of your shots are missing that special oomph that comes from bokeh and a nice symphony of colours. But what I feel the area you're lacking in is the way you try to carry and emotion or a message across to the viewer. Titling a shot can go a long way towards giving a viewer a hint of what you're trying to show.

Take for example this shot:
3290550226_50b05026fa.jpg

I'd have titled it "The Long Climb Up" or something like that as you're looking down on him from an upper angle and with his head down it seems all the more evocative. Hes isolated well but I'd have gone one step further, given this a high-contrast b&w feel and darkened the background even more.
Crop the top off as well, so it looks as if hes starting out from ground level, and not as if hes in a valley.
 

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Why not ask those friends who told you that you are lacking something ... what actually are you lacking? There are many people out there who try to act smart and just comment 'not there yet ... something lacking' but can't sh!t tell u what exactly is not there. hahaha.
 

I guess you need to improve on the composition. Shot more, expose yourself to more photography-work (the gallery section; books etc.). So you can get more idea and eventually get better result (that's how I improve, I think). You won't be able to improve it overnight though.

Another thing is, learn some post production, the poor contrast and brightness is something you have to solve.
 

So in summary, what I need are :
- practice more and more to improve composition ...
- finding my theme
- emotions
- experience and patience
- post process
- better friends ????
 

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as a noob, i think the most important thing is the "story telling",
what are you trying to portray in the picture, what message do you what the viewer to get..
and down the road, you need to train your eye for details, colour, and concept, more and more, the DI skill... these are things that i always keep in mind.. so many good photographer out there, i always spend time browsing through their picture, compo.. i think it helps. :)
 

you have quite a nice shot here:

3539023370_e6a2ea1dfb.jpg


but.. IMO, it would've been perfect if this was a horizontal shot instead of vertical. Plus i think the fishing rod was cut away.....
 

Your compositions are off- lots of small distractions at the edges. I think in general you must work on your eye for detail and aesthetic appeal. Looking at the first 5 photos, they look bland and lacklustre. Perhaps you should learn some postprocessing techniques, start of with Picasa or GIMP. Punch up the colours, tweak the contrast, crop out the unnecessary parts.

Voila!

And add me at flickr. hahhaa
 

There're things I do for self improvement on taking photos.

1) Read more in CS
2) View more threads in the section you prefer, I think it'll be landscape, streets and candids and macro for you
3) Post 1 or 2 shots for C & C and title it the way you want the shot to be composed so that one can view and try to understand your shot before commenting
4) Join in more shoot outings and learn for each other
5) Read more photography books or online research

Shoot more, have more patience for composition of shoot and you'll find your own style of shooting eventually ;).
 

i think your shoot is generally pretty ok!

Yes there are some compo issue but I believe this is something that will eventually improve with more experience and books/reading on photography... :)

I really like your "The Long Climb Up" :thumbsup: but it could do with a darker mood/heavier contrast and perhaps nearer subject

Keep shooting! Cheers! :)
 

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